Memories of a Different Ken
by Akiame Harbinger
Summary: Completed: Ken looses his memory on a mission and it's up to Aya and the others to get them back for him. But will he be too disgusted with his past choice of profession to stay with them?
1. The Mission

Chapter 1  
  
The rain pours down as a dark haired boy wearing a brown leather jacket rushes up the fire escape of a tall building, chasing a blond haired, blue- eyed man who is running for his life. The one leading is the boss of a large drug ring that started in America and leapt the ocean to Japan a year ago. The one chasing is known as Hidaka Ken, a member of the assassin group called Weiss. His teammates are inside the building dispensing of the under bosses of the ring.  
  
Ken caught up to the target and sprung his blades from the bugnuck glove, struck out in a slash towards the man who spun and ducked just in time. With Ken a bit off balance, the man simply nudged him with a punch to his guts. Ken staggered back a step then rushed after him again as the man hurried up the steps towards the roof. The man glanced back at him, "You should run, boy. The bombs will go off soon."  
  
Ken gave chase and swore, raised a hand to his ear to push the talk button in the device there, "Guys, get the hell out of there! Bombs are set and ready to blow. I've got the main target, be out in a minute." He lowered his hand to the railing and spun to go up the next flight of steps as the blond man swore, not knowing until now that the assassins could talk to each other.  
  
"On my way!" Yohji flicked his other hand and the wire zipped back into his watch, letting a dead body fall to the floor. He ran a hand through his tousled hair and fixed his sunglasses as he listened to the red head of the team grunt in agreement beside him. Aya's foot rose to push another body off of the blade of his katana then nodded to Yohji. Both rushed towards the exit.  
  
Up in a tree beside the building, a sandy haired boy shot a crossbow bolt into a window and made sure the man inside fell to the floor before answering, "Hurry, guys! Ken, meet us at the rendezvous point quickly. We'll wait for you." He started climbing back down the tree to meet the others in the front.  
  
Ken stepped up onto the roof and ducked as he looked around for the man who had disappeared. He slipped behind a small cement room and peeked around the corner then looked up at the roof of it. He went around the corner and found the man on the other side with a gun pointed towards the ladder he had just come up. Quickly, Ken spun around the corner and with a yell, kicked the gun out of the other's hand, then punched his un-bladed hand towards the man's jaw. The blond stumbled back with a grunt of pain before switching directions and bull rushing the darker haired boy. Ken smirked and ducked, giving him an uppercut with bugnuck blades out, straight into his stomach. The blonds wide blue eyes stared down into the sea colored eyes of the one who killed him for a moment of surprise, then closed as his body slumped.  
  
Ken gritted his teeth as the man's weight suddenly crashed down on him and fell back onto the roof before shoving the body off of him. He sat up and brushed himself off before turning to make sure the man was really dead. His own eyes widened in surprise as an explosion rocked the building, destroying a corner of the first floor and buckling the building inwards.  
  
He raced towards the side of the building and gauged the distance to the roof of the garage nearby, backed up and dashed towards it. But another explosion, this time much closer, knocked the boy off balance and he stumbled, fell over the side and caught himself with one hand on the side of the rain gutter. It broke and swung downwards just as one more bomb exploded inside the building. His hand slipped and both hands reached for the gutter frantically as his wide eyes watched the building float away from him mysteriously. He looked over his shoulder as he fell and had just enough time to turn to reduce the amount of pain he'd take when he hit.  
  
The roof of a large truck caught him instead of the pavement with a sound of cracking bone. The only sounds to be heard as the boy lay unconscious in the dent he'd made was the building burning and crumbling. Not long after, a voice crackled in the earpiece he wore, "Ken, where the hell are you?? Don't make me come out there and get your ass.. Ken? . Ken, come on! Answer me!" 


	2. The Hospital

Chapter 2  
  
The quiet beeping of the heart monitor had lulled the red headed leader of Weiss into a light doze. Sitting in a hospital room beside a dark haired youth seemed to be his hobby. But his sister had been awake for about a month now and his hobby had been given a vacation until now. For two days, he and the others of his team had taken shifts to watch over Ken as he slept. He hadn't woken since they brought him in. Ken's shoulder was bandaged, along with his head. Doctors stated that he was lucky he hit the truck in just the right manner to reduce any damage taken, but he must have hit his head quite hard. Aya had snorted at the moment; Ken's head was thick, he'd be fine.  
  
The word 'coma' was uttered from the doctors lips only a split second before Aya had spun on his heal and left the room, leaving only Omi to gather the rest of the information on Ken's state and Yohji sitting in the chair beside his best friend's bed. That word haunted Aya's life.  
  
He relived the moments he had heard that word years before and stared down at his sister's sleeping face in his dreams. Her eyes opened and he smiled in joy. But her eyes only closed again after meeting his and she sunk into the bed, becoming the man who had fought by Aya's side for three years. His bright sea-green eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow as flashes of pain passed over his handsome features. In the dream, Aya reached out a hand to touch the boy's cheek just to make sure he was real, and in reality, he shifted in the chair he slept in beside the bed of his teammate.  
  
In that bed, the dark haired assassin opened his eyes slowly. He blinked up at the light that wasn't on and looked over at the window that let in the setting sun's rays with tired eyes. He heard another shift beside him and turned his head slowly to see who it was. His mind drew a blank as he looked at the red head there and watched him sleep. Creases marred his smooth forehead as he tried to concentrate on the man and know his name, but nothing came. The boy looked up at the IV dripping both pain relievers and nutrients into his arm, drawing a blank on even his own name.  
  
Sea-green eyes closed again after a minute and he slipped back into sleep, thanks to the drugs. Violet eyes came open only moments later and drifted over the form in the bed beside him. Aya gave out a sigh, realizing that only the boy's head had moved a few inches while he had slept. He stood up and stretched his arms up over his head, leaned back to crack his spine and shoulders, then lowered his arms to his side and went to the window to look out at the sunset. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched a car come into the parking lot. Seven parked a spot down from his own Porsche and the tall blond man who owned it got out and walked towards the building.  
  
Aya turned away from the window and looked back at Ken in the bed. He stepped up to the bed and raised a hand to the boy's perfect cheek, giving it a light caress. Usually cold violet eyes narrowed in concern as he watched the other sleep, finally showing emotions he hid from the rest of the world. Those emotions switched between love and worry as his fingers slid over the tanned skin beneath them then drew back. The man gave another sigh and turned away. He left the room, trusting that Yohji will be there in only minutes. Coffee and dinner was in order, then a good sleep before opening the shop in the morning.  
  
* * * * * 


	3. Don't you remember?

Chapter 3  
  
Omi sat beside the bed of his teammate as he typed away on his laptop. The team was busy, even with one of them out of commission. The boy was looking up buildings that had been newly bought as Ken slept on. The bright afternoon sunlight streamed into the room and brightened the dark haired boy's face as his sea green eyes started to open. Once again, the one sitting beside him didn't notice.  
  
Ken raised his hand and rubbed at his eyes, getting the sleep out of them. The tapping stopped as Omi looked up, wide blue eyes watching Ken move in surprise. The hand lowered back to the bed as Ken looked over at him and blinked. The silence stayed in the room for another moment, then the younger boy smiled brightly, "Ken-kun! You're awake!! I'm so glad!! How do you feel?? Does your head hurt? Oh, and don't move your left hand, it would hurt your shoulder. You hurt it pretty bad when you hit the truck!"  
  
Ken blinked again as he listened to the bright eyed boy beside him, trying to grasp all that he said. After another minute of listening to his babble, he opened his mouth. The blonde quieted right away as the soft tones floated into the room, "I'm Ken? I hit a truck? Do you mean the truck hit me?" Ken's forehead creased in confusion as he watched the boy.  
  
Omi cocked his head like a dog listening to his master speak, his own confusion quite apparent, "N. no. you hit the truck, don't you remember? You fell off of the roof and onto the back of a bakery truck."  
  
Ken snickered lightly, "I knew doughnuts would kill me someday. I didn't think it would be like this, though."  
  
Omi giggled quietly, "I'm glad you're back, Ken-kun." He reached out and took his friend's hand, confusion forgotten for now. But the look on Ken's face made him stay that far away, only touching his hand instead of the hug he had wanted at first.  
  
Ken watched him for a moment, "I'm. I'm sorry. but you are??"  
  
Omi let go of his hand, and then closed the laptop and stared down at its cover, his fingers lightly moving over it, "I'm. I'm Omi. Tsukiyono Omi. I'm one of your best friends. You're Hidaka Ken, and obviously have amnesia." The boy plastered on a bright smile and looked up at his friend, "But don't worry! I'm quite sure you'll remember everything soon! Oh! I should call the others!" Omi stood up and put down the laptop onto the deserted chair, took out a cell phone and politely stepped out into the hall. He motioned for a doctor, told him Ken was awake, and then dialed the number of the shop where Yohji and Aya were working.  
  
The doctor and a nurse went into Ken's room to do a few easy tests as the red head of Weiss picked up on the other end, "Koneko. Can I help you?"  
  
Omi shook his head, "It's me, Aya. Ken's awake and.." The boy's sentence was cut off as the other man broke in, "He's awake? That's good. I'll call Rex and let her know on my way over."  
  
"N. no! Aya, wait!" But the other had already hung up, conversation obviously over by his standards. Omi sighed in frustration and scratched his head. He put the phone back into his pocket and waited for the doctor to come back out before we went back inside. But once the doctor came out, he didn't have the courage to see the boy alone. It would be way too uncomfortable if he went in there now. Maybe if Aya was with him..  
  
He waited only a few more minutes, and then the red head was beside him, "Omi. How is he?"  
  
Omi gave out another sigh and looked up into those amethyst eyes, "He has amnesia, Aya. He doesn't remember me. So he won't remember you or Yohji or even," he looked around for a moment, "or even Kritiker. In fact, I wouldn't doubt it if he thinks he's still the star goalie of J-League."  
  
Aya's eyes hardened to the rocks they resemble as he leans against the wall in thought. Everything about the man screamed instant anger. He looked ready to go on his patented "Takatori Hunt". Omi was polite enough to leave him some time to think on his own, but he was growing more and more impatient to see his friend remembering them all.  
  
Aya suddenly stepped away from the wall and entered the room without knocking, Omi scrambling to stay right behind him. The boy in the bed had been looking out the window, but he turned his head to see who had walked in on him. He frowned lightly to see the stern red head striding most confidently over to him with his own frown. The elder man stood beside him and nearly glared down at him, "Don't play, Ken. Tell me my name."  
  
Ken kept frowning up at him, confused as to what type of game the man might think he'd be playing, "Your name? I don't know." Aya's jaw clenched and he spoke between his teeth, "Tell me my name. Tell me what you do for a living."  
  
Once more, Ken frowned at him, "I don't know and I don't know. What's with the third degree??" The man's commanding gaze was starting to unnerve him and make him nervous, which only made him angry.  
  
Aya watched him intensely for a moment then turned to Omi, "Rex is coming. She can't see him like this." Omi nodded and lead Aya away to talk to him out of Ken's hearing. Ken stayed right where he was and tried to remember who Rex is. Is that his girlfriend?? She sounded like some kind of bike chick or something, some leather clad Harley girl. Ken snickered and looked back out the window, finding that quite unappealing. But a ride on a bike sounds like a blast. He needed to get out of that bed.  
  
Ken swung his legs to one side of the bed and sat up with a groan. His free hand rose to rub at his aching shoulder and neck as he tried to keep his head situated and loose the dizziness. Now that he's alone in the room, he stood up unsteadily and finally examined the bandages that encased his shoulder and upper arm. There was a band that went around his upper arm and rib cage to hold his arm in place, and a sling holding his arm in the bent position. There were bandages around his head as well, but he couldn't remember why they're there. He frowned as he remembered Omi's words, that he had hit a truck when he fell from the roof. What was he doing on a roof?? And how could he just fall off?? Who was that irritating man demanding he stop playing games?? How does he get off telling.?  
  
His thoughts were interrupted as the two came back into the room. Omi's eyes widened and he rushed over to sit Ken back down, "You shouldn't stand up, yet, Ken-kun! You need to rest for a while." Ken sat down again, relieved to not have to hold himself up for now. The mysterious red head simply crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the other two in the room. He was followed by a tall, shorthaired woman who stood beside him in the same position. That had to be Rex.  
  
Omi went about the room, tidying things up and making sure Ken was comfortable. The woman took a few steps forward and smiled at Ken, "I'm Rex. Do you remember me at all?" As Ken shook his head, she sighed then kept silent for a few moments, "You work for me. At a flower shop. You live above that shop with three other boys. That would be Omi, Aya," she motioned to the two in question, "And Yohji, who isn't here. He's running the shop."  
  
Ken nodded, "Alright. I guess." He looked over at Aya then back at Rex, "Why does he look like he's ready to kill me??" Rex snickered then looked back at the man, who merely rolled his eyes and looked away, "He looks like that all the time, Ken. He's a hard man, but a hard worker. So is Omi. Yohji's the laziest."  
  
The brunette figured that left him somewhere in the middle of them all, perhaps an on-and-off-hard-worker-type. Or something like that. He's no oracle, but he figured there was another hour or so of people trying to get him to remember things he won't remember at all, then they'd all leave in frustration. Which is about what happened that night.  
  
In the next two days, the same thing happened. Between doctors and nurses and the boys from the shop, Ken's frustration level raised to the breaking point. His last night in the hospital made that point break. or rather smash against the wall a few times, then against the floor, then the ceiling.. In any case, the boy ended up crying himself to sleep. Why couldn't he remember who he was?? Who is he? Tomorrow, he'd go home. But where is home? What does he do there? Who are those weird guys he lives with? 


	4. I like Soccer

Chapter 4  
  
The ride back to 'home' was a quiet ride in a convertible everyone insisted on calling Seven. Once out of the hospital, Ken had run his hands over the chrome and beautiful paintjob of the Super Seven as the one called Yohji preened and talked about how fast it can go and the stuff it can do. Ken had spouted out some facts he didn't know he knew, basically telling the blond that what he had just said was quite impossible. Yohji had grabbed him into a hug, shouting, "You remember!!" quite dramatically.  
  
But he didn't, really. Even the doctors had told him that he'd know certain facts and be able to do certain things, yet not know why or how he knew them. Ken stared out the windshield as Yohji drove him back to the flower shop and talked non-stop about how much he had missed his best friend and that he's glad he's back now and that Seven needed the tune up that Ken had always loved to give it every month. Ken let out a quiet sigh. he's not the same person this man was welcoming home. And he felt a bit guilty for it.  
  
Yohji pulled up to the front of the shop and hopped out after turning off the engine. Ken got out slower and looked up at the sign. 'House Were Kittens Live.' Cute. He looked down and in through the window where the bright eyed blond was waving at him emphatically. He smiled lightly and waved back as Aya stepped out of the open door and glared at Yohji, "Move the car. You can't park there."  
  
Yohji waved a nonchalant hand at him and draped the other arm over Ken's shoulders, "Later, later, Mr. Stick-up-the-ass. Come on, Ken, I'll show you your room." The taller man led Ken past the red head and into the shop. Aya gave Yohji another glare, then softened his gaze as he took in the brunette, "Welcome home, Ken." It was a quiet statement and gone as soon as those rigid lips closed again. Ken looked up into those amethyst eyes and something clicked..  
  
He suddenly burst out laughing. Everyone stared at him.  
  
He kept laughing as he spoke, "Yohji had a bucket of soap water! I was mopping but slipped and the mop smacked Aya in the face!" The rest was a blur to him, but he remembered that Aya had ended up soaked and had stomped up the steps to leave Ken and Yohji to close up the shop.  
  
Omi snickered as Yohji and Ken roared in laughter. Aya miffed and turned away. He went into the back stockroom and closed the door, then leaned against it. The look of smashed hope on his face would have been enough to make even Yohji cry. When the brunette had looked up into his eyes, those sea-greens had widened in memory. How Aya had hoped it was about him and about the sweet.. But it wasn't. It was one of the few embarrassing moments that Aya had to live through with these people. He heard the laughter die down, then the last few snickers as Yohji brought Ken up the steps and to the apartments above the shop. He only came back out when he heard the tiny bell ring as the door opened and a customer came inside.  
  
Meanwhile, Ken looked around the communal living room. Yohji had asked him if he could point out his favorite place to sit or maybe his favorite game on the rack beside the TV. Yohji watched intently as Ken moved to sit in the exact middle of the couch, then crooned in delight, "Exactly!!! See, you remember more than you thought, little man." Ken snickered then leaned forward to look at the games, "I only sat here because it has the best view of the TV and the window behind. Not to mention the entire room." He tapped at his lower lip as he thought about the games then took one out to read the back of it with a frown.  
  
Yohji snapped the disk holder out of his hands, "Uh, uh. This one's no game. This one's mine." He held the DVD to his chest and all Ken could glimpse of the back of it was a pair of boobs. He rolled his eyes, "I see."  
  
He looked back at the games again and pointed to another, "Then this one. Capcom vs. SMK. The original game, nonetheless. None of this sequel shit." Yohji nodded, "Very good. That's the one you whoop ass on against anyone, including Omi, the video game freak."  
  
He motioned up the steps, "Now, your room awaits, sir!!" Ken smiled and stood up then moved up the stairs. Yohji followed behind, "Choose your own room for the chance to win five million yen!!" Ken snickered and 'accidentally' kicked a foot back into his knee. He chuckled as he heard the man mumble something about no consolation prize then stepped into the hallway and looked at the 5 doors presented to him. Yohji patiently waited for him to move.  
  
Ken took a deep breath then moved down the hall, stopping at each door and feeling its 'vibe'. One in particular he felt good about and once he'd stopped at each door, he went back and opened that one. A bathroom looked back at him. He sighed and lowered his hand back to his side from the doorknob as sad eyes took in the meager decorations.  
  
"Awww. come on, no worries. You couldn't have known and you can't remember everything at once. You were close at least." Yohji points down the hallway at the next door. Ken looked down that way then back into the bathroom, "Yeah. maybe."  
  
Yohji draped an arm around his shoulders again and lead him to the bedroom. He opened the door and pushed him inside. Ken was suddenly surrounded by soccer paradise. There was an old beat up ball on his dresser with a few autographs on it, two or three more on the floor, a poster displaying the entire 1996 Argentina National Team, another with the 1999 USA Team, snippets from magazines of individual players from various teams, and plenty of soccer apparel all over the floor. Even the bed was covered in cotton sheets displaying little soccer balls and pennants with '#1' written on them.  
  
Ken raised an eyebrow, "I like soccer."  
  
Yohji snickered, "Understatement of the century, Kenken." He waved a hand at the interior decorating, "You were one of them at one time. A star goalie in J-League, the pre-professional league. You would have been selected the next year to go pro if Kase hadn't.. But that's a story for another time. Take a look around while I park Seven in the garage."  
  
Ken nodded and sat on the bed as the man walked away. He looked around again and leaned over to read a newspaper article stapled to the wall. 'Star Goalie voted MVP of Japan - Coach beams with Pride'. This boy called Hidaka Ken was said to have the highest agility of all goalies in the nation and could stop any ball from entering the net he covered. High praises were written out in his name.  
  
Ken frowned and looked around again, "Soccer. I was a goalie. But. I don't remember any rules of the game.." 


	5. The Meeting

Chapter 5  
  
While Yohji was gone, Ken stood up and looked around the room again. He stepped over to a bookshelf full of videos and games and a few books. A finger drifted over the titles of the movies and stopped at a homemade tape. He drew it out and pulled the video out of the sleeve to read the title written there, "J-League". He glanced at the TV and VCR in the room then popped it in and started to watch the game recorded on it.  
  
Someone kept focusing the camera on the goalie, most obviously Ken himself. No ball got past this young man at all. Ken sighed as he tried to understand the penalties and everything that was going on, but he finally got frustrated enough to pull a book from the same shelf and look up the penalties inside it.  
  
He didn't notice that he was being watched by someone standing in the doorway with sad violet eyes. Just the fact that Ken had to look into a book to find out the rules of what was once his greatest passion depressed the older man to no ends. He remembered when the brunette would throw things at the screen, yelling obscenities at the refs for a bad call or at the players for being stupid or even at the fans for holding up a sign for the wrong team.  
  
Ken looked back over his shoulder at the red head as he came into the room to sit beside him on the bed. The brunette sighed and looked down at the book again, "It's not fair that I remember how to drive and how to make a sandwich when I can't even remember what was the most important to me."  
  
Aya nodded, understanding the truth of that statement more than Ken at the moment, "Aa. but perhaps all you need is to get into it again." He shrugged, obviously a man of few words.  
  
Ken looked up at him and nodded, then looked back at the TV again, "Tell me. about me."  
  
Aya glanced at him, then looked down at his long fingers uncharacteristically fidgeting with the edge of the comforter and sighed, "You were. are passionate about a lot of things. You love soccer and riding your motorcycle. You like all sports, in fact, from ping-pong to motor-cross, and are highly competitive. You're a black belt in Karate and Judo, pride yourself on your fighting skills, yet you have the gentlest heart I know. Your smile can.." He glanced at him again then watched the game on the screen when he realized he was being watched intently by those bright green eyes.  
  
Aya cleared his throat, "I came to tell you that it's your turn to cook. But I shall take over for you. Dinner will be done in an hour or so. Come down then." He stood up and exited the room in the same silent manner he came in, reminding Ken of a cat.  
  
Ken watched the man go, then looked back at the game and finished watching it, thoughts of the man swirling through his brain even as he read the soccer book at the same time. At least now he knew he was good at multi- tasking.  
  
* * * *  
  
Ken came down the stairs about an hour later to the smells of pasta and garlic bread. Omi was no where to be seen and Yohji was out on the deck smoking. The blond motioned for Ken to join him and as he came closer asked "How's the remembering going?" as if he's supposed to remember things when no one's looking.  
  
Ken sighed, "Not so good, I guess. I don't remember anything about soccer, or working in the shop." He leaned against the railing, arms folded over the top and chin resting on them.  
  
Yohji patted him on the back, "Don't blame you for not remembering the shop. I wouldn't, either." He winked.  
  
Ken stood up again and turned to go back inside without a word. The taller man likes to irritate him, that's obvious. It seemed good-natured enough, but Ken wasn't in the mood for it. Yohji watched him go, then shrugged and finished off his smoke.  
  
Ken went into the kitchen and looked around for something to do then started to set the table. Aya glanced at him, noting that he remembered where all the plates and cups were without a thought. He didn't say anything except a 'thank you' and went on cooking.  
  
* * * * * After supper, Rex stopped by again. Ken was doing the dishes by himself when the doorbell rang. The guys disappeared with her down the steps to the smaller living room type room, leaving Ken to his own devices. He finished up the dishes and put them all away, then looked around the common room for anything to give him a spark of a memory.  
  
He pulled out each and every photo album he saw, flipped through them then threw each one onto the ground with a frustrated growl. He didn't know these guys in the pictures and they obviously didn't know him anymore. Ken stood up and paced the room, kicking the books away from his path and knocking some things over in a childish fit of frustration and sadness.  
  
Wasn't there anyone who could tell him how to get his memories back? Someone with a way to get into his head and unlock all the doors so closed to him at the moment. There has to be someone or someway to help him! The doctors didn't know and all their science couldn't help him anymore. The guys didn't know what to say to him or how to help him. They just sat with him and talked with him as if nothing had happened, but they all know something did. It only made things more uncomfortable between them all. The only one who really tried to let him know the way things used to be was Aya. But the man was so closed up that Ken didn't want to ask him for more and make him mad or close up even more.  
  
He sighed and looked around. The room was a mess. He rubbed his face and sniffled, wiped his nose onto his sleeve, then snuck towards the door to downstairs. They must be talking about him down there. What else could be taking so long?  
  
He heard the woman's voice, "We've decided to keep him here in your care. Obviously, you're the only one's who can bring his memories back. Persia has put in a request for a Kritiker telepath to come and see if he can help."  
  
Omi's voice floated up the steps next, "But he should just go back home. if he never remembers. I don't want him in this life if he doesn't have to be."  
  
There was silence for a few moments, but Rex answered, "I understand that, Omi. We all do. But if he does remember, then what? If he's home with his parents and he suddenly remembers everything, it's a major breach in security, not to mention life threatening to all of us." Ken's eyes widened and he raised a hand to cover his gasp. Life threatening?? He thought they were only florists! How could a job like that be life threatening??  
  
The silence from below must have been for that opinion to sink into everyone's heads. It became heavy and oppressive until the smiling Yohji spoke up to lighten the mood, "I hope he remembers soon. This new Ken is too sober and somber. I miss the old Ken!!" There were sighs and a rustling or two as people shifted.  
  
Ken backed away from the door and wiped his nose once more onto his sleeve. He turned on his heel and picked up the brown leather jacket he had in the hospital, slipped it on and went out the door to take a long walk.  
  
Once he hit the sidewalk, he stepped back into the alley as a sob tore through his body. He turned to lean his forearm onto the wall and his eyes against that arm to soak up the tears. He kept the sobs as quiet as he could, not wanting to draw attention to himself. 


	6. Enter the Schwarz

Chapter 6  
  
Ken stepped back out onto the sidewalk as he rubbed a hand over his face to get off all the tears. He chose a direction and started to walk. It was getting late, but there were still people all over the sidewalks, shopping, dating, laughing, and clubbing. He was glad they lived downtown; the nightlife around here would make sure he could keep it all to himself.  
  
As he walked, a certain fire haired German sat in a café on the other side of the street. Though he was drinking an espresso, the taste of smooth dark chocolate came into his mouth and his green eyes narrowed as they looked out the window to find the owner of that taste. The brunette passed the window on his walk, but didn't look into the café. And he didn't seem himself. A moment of prying gave Schuldig the answer to the question why..  
  
He laughed at the boy's confusion and the irony of it all. The night had looked bleak until Hidaka came along. The man got up, didn't pay for his coffee, and walked right out to track the assassin down.  
  
Schu followed him for about a block then quickened his steps to catch up to him, "Neee, Keeeen!" He wrapped an arm around the boy's waist, spun him into the alley then pressed his back to the bricks of a building and trapped him there with his own body, "You haven't called in days, lover- boy."  
  
As the orange haired stranger smirked down to him and held him against the wall by both wrists and his body, Ken blinked up at him in even more confusion, "What? Who are you?"  
  
Schu cocked his head at him in confusion before he grinned, "Aah, a game. Well, then. I'm Schu, very nice to meet you. Now can I fuck you?"  
  
Ken's eyes widened, "What?? No, you don't understand. I. uhmm. I got into an accident. I have amnesia. I really have no idea who you are."  
  
The telepath frowned then pouted, "If you wanted to break it off with me, you could have come up with something better." He let the youth go and turned to leave.  
  
The boy watched him go for a moment, then reached out and caught the end of his coat to tug him back, "Wait. please. Tell me who you are and how we met. Maybe you can help me get my memories back?"  
  
The Schwarz member gave the sidewalk a dangerous smirk then turned back to his companion and eyed him as if trying to figure out if he's still playing a game or if he's really telling the truth. After a moment, he sighed and nodded, "Alright, alright. For some reason I believe you. Come on. Let's find a café or something." He turned again and walked down the sidewalk towards a different place than he was at before, the brunette in tow.  
  
They chose a small table in the corner for their conversation and they each ordered a drink. Ken simply looked at Schu, waiting for him to speak. Schu eyed him for another moment, then shrugged and sat back in his chair, dug out his cigarettes as he started to talk, "We met, typically enough, in a grocery store. We both live with three other guys, so of course we have to go food shopping a lot. Our carts bumped into each other and we got to talking somehow. I can't remember about what." He shrugged again and put the cig into his mouth to light it as the waitress put down their drinks.  
  
He went on, "We went on a date or two, but figured that we weren't a good couple. But we couldn't stop seeing each other simply because of the desire we had for each other. We started to just sleep together and that's it. Every few days, one of us would call the other and we'd meet at a hotel for most of the night."  
  
Ken raised an eyebrow. The orange haired man was definitely hot, so he could believe the lust part of the story. But something wasn't right, "Why a hotel?"  
  
The man drew on the cigarette before answering, the smoke coming out of his nose, "We didn't want our respective room mates to know. I didn't want mine to know because they're my family. They'd just tell me to leave you alone and to 'do' something with my life for once. You didn't want yours to know because of basically the same thing. Only they're not your family.' He raised an eyebrow suddenly, "You DO know where you live and stuff, right??"  
  
Ken nodded and waved a hand in the air a bit, "Yeah, of course. They claim that they can make me remember what I've forgotten." He frowned down into his cappuccino.  
  
His new lover shrugged, "Yeah, well. Good luck to them and all. They say you should just get back into the routine you were in before the accident." He leaned forward onto the table with another trademark smirk, "In other words, its your night with me tonight. Forget about them."  
  
Ken glanced away in hesitation and thought. The flavor of dark chocolate faltered for a moment, and Schu blinked. It was like taking a bite out of a chocolate bar, expecting the creamy dark chocolate to melt on your tongue, but tasting soap, instead. Ken wasn't acting like himself. Schu found himself thinking that he liked the old Ken better, but found that someone had already said that. Yohji. Aah, that man was infuriating sometimes. So that's what made his kitten slip out of the house by himself. Schu made a mental note to give Yohji a good nightmare tonight and waited for the brunette to speak.  
  
With a sigh, he finally turned back to the orange haired man, "Alright. But if I don't feel comfortable later, back off." He gave a half glare, more Ken-like than he's been in a while.  
  
Schu smirked and nodded, "Not a problem, kitten. Though I think I should warn you, then."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About our. how should I put it. our preferences for sex."  
  
Ken glanced around to see if anyone was listening, then leaned forward as if to hear a secret, "What do you mean?"  
  
Schu felt like bursting out into laughter, but managed to let out only a chuckle before leaning in to put his lips near the boy's ear and whisper invitingly to him, "I mean we like it hard and kinky, Keneko. We like to scream out our pleasure and break beds. We like to cuff each other to."  
  
He was rudely interrupted as Ken jerked back away from him with a blush, and the waitress set down their appetizer for them before walking away, oblivious. Schu laughed this time and took a cheese stick from the tray, dipped it into the ranch sauce and sexily licked the white stuff from the tip of it.  
  
The brunette's blush deepened and he looked about again, making sure no one else got the show he did. He turned his eyes back to the man just in time to watch him nibble the tip off, showing the white gooey cheese with in. Ken swallowed and grabbed a barbeque chicken wing to bite at and keep his attention on, instead of the man.  
  
Schu chuckled again and ate the rest of the cheese stick, "You're so damn cute, Hidaka. I have a lot to teach you. Again. Last time I did that to you, you dragged me out to the hotel and made hot love to me like a stallion, instead of blushing and failing to ignore me."  
  
Ken rolled his eyes before answering "I'm not like that Ken, anymore. I'm me now. Not him. Whoever he was."  
  
With a shrug, the other man leaned back to eat some more, "Then eat up. I'll make you a new man when I get you to the hotel." He smirked with a wink and went on teasing him with the food and ranch sauce. 


	7. Cockroaches?

Chapter 7  
  
Schuldig paid for the meal then draped an arm around Ken's shoulders and lead him out of the café. He would pay over and over again to get this boy to blush like that again and to tease him all night. He looked forward to a night of sex and moaning! He does that a lot, maybe once or twice a week. But this one was different. This one was Weiss!!  
  
They strolled down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace, Ken's hands stuffed into his pockets so he didn't have to touch the other man. He walked silently for a moment then glanced up at Schu, "Tell me something about myself."  
  
Schu glanced at him then looked forward again in thought, "Hmmm. you're hot?"  
  
Ken rolled his eyes and looked away, "Is that really all our relationship was based on?? Sex and lust? Seems shallow to me. From what everyone else says about me, that can't be right."  
  
Schu shrugged with a smile, "Like I said before, we keep this life with each other a secret from the others. Our relationship is based on desire. They'd only look down on it like the rest of the world. Lust is baaaaad, you know." He snickered and looked down at the brunette, "But we seem to like it."  
  
Ken looked up at him with a smile, buying the story. His desire to find himself kept him wide open for anything Schu had to say. He believed whole heartedly that this man had made love to him plenty of times before, so why should tonight be any different? For all his saying that he's a different person now, he still wanted to find out who he was before.  
  
The red head steered him into a seedy little hotel and produced a credit card to pay for a room for the night. Ken waited beside him and looked around at the dirty lobby with a wrinkled nose. The place was no four star, that's for sure. maybe two. Or one and a half.  
  
They found themselves in a small one bed room with a bathroom and a coffee maker. Little mints were on the pillows and Ken popped his right away, needing something to do. He sat on the bed and looked around as Schu took off his coat and draped it over a chair back.  
  
The German smiled then approached him and straddled over his lap, hands gently taking the leather coat from him to plop it onto the floor, "So. this is what we do. Tonight, I'll be gentle. But I'm sure that tiger in you will pop out and take control. It always does. You're such a hot lover, Ken." He snapped his teeth at him, simply oozing sexiness.  
  
Ken tried valiantly to keep the blush from his cheeks as he leaned back and sucked on the mint furiously. He shifted his arms to let the jacket come off, then swallowed and moved his hands to slide up the red head's chest, "I'm not so sure. just take it slowly, please. I don't remember a thing about. about sex."  
  
"Ja. Don't worry. Now share that mint." Schu leaned in and kissed him, his tongue invading the cavity to search for said mint. Ken's hand slid up to cup his cheek and he closed his eyes to kiss him back. The telepath took his sweet time in fishing out that mint then took it into his own mouth and broke the kiss.  
  
"Mmmm, good mint. Ken flavored," he said with a smirk and sucked on the mint. His hands slid from around Ken's neck and lifted off his own shirt, tossed it aside then slid his hands up the front of Ken's shirt, caressing over golden skin and darker nipples.  
  
Ken shivered at the touch then looked down at the bare chest before him. Milky skin craved kisses so he leaned down to place open mouthed kisses over his collar bone, feeling the desire in him grow with each flick to his hardening nubs. Schu's quiet answering moan only spurred him, his hands sliding over his sides then up his back. His kisses traveled upwards over that long, graceful neck and Schu leaned his head back to accept them as he slid the boy's shirt off.  
  
His fingers slid into fiery hair and stroked through it as he suckled on the man's adams apple which bobbed when the man spoke quietly, "Don't seem to need any lessons, Keneko. You're perfect so far."  
  
Ken let go of his neck to kiss up to his lips again. Schu tilted his head down for the kiss and allowed his tongue entrance as his hands slid down the boy's back and around to undo his pants. The brunette searched out that mouth, finding the tidbit of mint left over and digging it out back into his own mouth. Schu chuckled and roughly pushed him down onto the bed before tugging his jeans off.  
  
Ken breathed a bit harder as he hit the bed and stared up at the German, hips lifting to let those jeans slide off. Schu smirked down to him and leaned down to kiss him harder, deeper, orange hair draping over their faces to curl with his chocolate strands on the less-than-clean comforter. Ken closed his eyes and kissed him back, fingers dancing down the other man's stomach to undo his slacks then slide them off. His fingers glided over every bit of new skin they found on the way down and found that Schu didn't wear underwear. Of course not. all sexy, dangerous looking men didn't wear underwear, right?  
  
But feeling his partner's readiness for sex did nothing to boost his confidence level. In fact, it lowered it, made him nervous and jittery. He broke the kiss to turn his face away, eyes squeezed shut, "Wait.. Stop, please.."  
  
Schu held a deep sigh in check and let his breath out slowly as he sat up again, still straddled over the Weiss assassin, "Hmm? Getting nervous already?"  
  
Ken nodded then opened his eyes to look up at him, hands resting on his own stomach, "Would you be terribly mad if I said I'd rather just go home right now? We can try this again sometime.."  
  
Schu narrowed his eyes for a moment of thought. Would the Weiss tell his friends? Would he really call him up for a re-try? On second thought, would the boy be as sweet of a challenge later as he is now? He pursed his lips for a moment then waggled a finger at the boy, "Fine, fine, but you remember not to tell your room mates. They'd only warn you off of me and I want a fair chance at winning you back into my arms, Hidaka. Got that?"  
  
Ken nodded and swallowed, "Sure, of course." He was still turned on by the man, but this just felt so wrong. Why, he couldn't put his finger on exactly. After Schu slipped off of him, he stood up and dressed quickly, trying to keep the hardened organ out of the man's sight.  
  
Schu smirked from his position on his back on the bed and watched him intently. The kitten will be his soon. Playing with him will be fun until he's broken and totally his. The only thing that would make it even more fun is if Ken remembered who he was, yet still wanted to see Schu in private. Just the thought made the telepath purr to himself, a lazy hand stroking over his own stomach. His mind poked at Ken's, finding which switches to turn and which buttons to push to get his memories back. But the answer wasn't simple and threatened to give him a headache, so he pulled back.  
  
By that time, Ken was fully dressed. He turned to look at his 'lover' and sighed. He leaned down to kiss him chastely, but Schu held onto the back of his head and kept the kiss longer and deeper than he intended. Once broken, Ken panted lightly again as he stood straighter, "You have my number, right? Call me in a few days. Hopefully things will be better by then."  
  
Schu shrugged, "Ja, why not. Your cell phone it is." He invaded the boy's memories to pick out the number then smiled and waved cutely.  
  
Ken went back out into the night and continued that walk he had intended to take before meeting Schuldig in that alley. This time he had so much more to think about as he watched the sidewalk glide under his feet. 


	8. My Immortal

Chapter 8  
A Tribute to Evanescence  
"My Immortal"  
  
"I'm so tired of being here.  
  
Suppressed by all my childhood fears.  
  
And if you have to leave,  
  
I wish that you would just leave.  
  
Cause your presence still lingers here,  
  
and it won't leave me alone."  
  
Aya had cleaned up the mess they had found in the living room when the meeting was over. And now he found himself sitting on the couch and looking at one of the albums that had lay open on the floor. A long finger traced over the tanned face of his lover... ex-lover... as he sighed, "Ken... come back to me...." The red head frowned at the photo then closed the book with a snap and stood to put it away, memories of his time with the boy flooding his mind. They did plenty of things together, from making out on the soccer field in the park to long talks on the roof, just the two of them. And always –always- they kept it from the other boys of Weiss. Aya had not wanted it to come between anyone, nor to let it get in the way of a mission. He was a business man, just as his father was, and this was only good business.  
  
But now that Ken is gone. There's a clone here that's nothing like the old Ken. And Aya couldn't handle it. He didn't like it, yet there was nothing he could do. No amount of yelling or shaking the boy will make him remember. No holy number of kisses or words could bring him back. And it tears the red head up inside as he heads back to his bedroom, fingers raking through his hair roughly.  
  
"These wounds won't seem to heal,  
  
this pain is just too real,  
  
there's just too much that time cannot erase.  
  
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,  
  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.  
  
I held your hand through all of these years.  
  
But you still have...  
  
All of me."  
  
Memories of Ken... of a different Ken raged in his head as he changed into pj pants and slid into his cold bed alone. He closed his eyes and let them slide over him like the waves of an orgasm. Ken creeping to his bed at night... Ken moaning in pure pleasure beneath him... Ken snuggling to him afterwards with a content and tired sigh... Ken shifting in his sleep as nightmares flood his dream world... Ken groaning as Aya shook him awake gently with kisses and caresses... Ken crying as the memories of the nightmares flooded his thoughts... and holding him... holding him so sweetly... so gently... so... so Ken.  
  
Aya raised a hand to brush away a tear and rolled over onto his side, very much not able to sleep at the moment.  
  
"You used to captivate me by your resonating mind,  
  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind.  
  
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams  
  
Your voice has chased away all the sanity in me."  
  
Now there's this other Ken. He's the same, yet different. Aya had no idea how to deal with this new Ken, how to treat him. Should he kiss him and go on as if nothing has happened? No, this Ken would retaliate and try to get away from him. And while that used to be one of their favorite games before... it's different now. Ken means to get away from him totally now. He used to be so captivating, so wonderfully Ken! There are simply no words to describe the boy or his more random thought patterns. He was passionate, brutally honest and generous. This new Ken is somber, depressed and cold, reaching out for something... anything to hold on to. Aya wanted to be that something... but Ken would just push him away. He wanted memories, not words. He wanted his old self back, not the promise of efforts to the same.  
  
"These wounds won't seem to heal,  
  
this pain is just too real,  
  
there's just too much that time cannot erase.  
  
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,  
  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.  
  
I held your hand through all of these years.  
  
But you still have...  
  
All of me."  
  
Aya sighed and rolled onto his other side as he listened for the sounds of someone coming back from the streets. They hadn't found Ken anywhere in the apartments. What if he had heard?? He could be out there in trouble and no one would know. Omi had gone off to track his coat tracer with his laptop and promised to tell Aya if anything looked suspicious. Aya could only assume that nothing was suspicious since Omi hadn't come looking for him. What if Ken slept somewhere else tonight and the nightmares returned? Who would kiss his tears away, their salty taste lingering on both of their lips? Who would whisper loving words to him as he drifted back into sleep? Who would hold his hand and kiss his fingers in the morning? He didn't want to think about that... he wanted Ken back. He wanted Ken back in his arms.  
  
"I tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone.  
  
But though you're still with me,  
  
I've been alone all along.  
  
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears,  
  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears.  
  
I held your hand through all of these years.  
  
But you still have...  
  
All of me."  
  
He never wanted to be so damn alone again. Ken had brought light and life to him after his sister had gone into that coma and he had joined the team for revenge and for money. He's still here, but he's not the same. It's as good as Ken not even being alive anymore.  
  
Aya sat up with a grunt at his thoughts. He rubbed at his eyes then slid out of bed to dress again. He'll just have to find the boy. Tell him they're lovers. Tell him they belong together. Tell him everything and anything he wanted to know. Tell him... that he loves him.  
  
He laced up his boots and fixed his black jeans over them, then grabbed up his keys and trench, and knocked on Omi's door to take the tracer with him. Device in hand, he strode for the door and went out into the streets to search for his lost lover. 


	9. The Brand New Start

Chapter 9

The night was much cooler than when Ken had first stepped onto the sidewalk and the brunette found his teeth chattering after a few more blocks of walking. He'd left the warmth of another human body and set out on his own to think. That body had been entirely too tempting, but his gut told him to run. He'd always trusted his gut feelings... hadn't he?

Ken groaned to himself and zipped up the brown leather jacket he wore. He paused and looked at a stain on the sleeve. He blinked and sniffed at it. Blood? He wrinkled his nose and lowered his hand to shove it into his jeans pocket again, just as the other one was. He headed back 'home', his feet taking him there without really thinking about it. He watched cars and people go past, urging every face to smile and say his name in recognition, then spill all the information they have on him. But no one really looked at him much. He got a few smiles and polite nods, but that was about all.

Once he stood in front of the Koneko again, he looked up and up, past the second and third floor and up to the roof. He didn't want to go inside. He didn't want to face the three coworkers. He headed to the side of the building where he knew the fire escape was and climbed up the steps as quietly as he could just in case the others were still inside and waiting for him. He climbed up to the roof and looked around. There was a small enclosed room in the corner with a locked door.

He headed to that door and looked around for key after trying the knob. He blinked and wondered, 'Now where would I hide a key up here....' Ah, of course. He reached up and lifted a shingle from the roof, dug inside and drew out the key. He unlocked the door and opened it to peer inside. There were two chairs, a blanket, and a bottle of wine. Wine?? He shrugged and took a chair out, set it up beside the wall and sat to gaze up at the stars alone, his thoughts finally calming down as he grew tired.

* * *

Ran peered at the device in his pocket only every other block or so. It was easy to loose a target if you kept searching every face for familiar sea-green eyes instead of looking at the tracking device. By the time he looked at it again, he noticed he'd gone past Ken somehow. He blinked and looked around, then turned and headed back to the Koneko with a frown. How had the boy slipped past him?? Perhaps he had been on the other block and hadn't noticed the red head across the street. Either way, Ran had to find him soon. The night was getting too cold to have to sleep out here without any friends... or a lover.

He went back to the building and drew out the device. He frowned deeper when he realized Ken is inside. The boy came home. He slipped the handheld into his pocket and went inside, his mind flooding with relief. At least Ken trusted and liked them enough to come home on his own.

He went up to his room and ditched the coat, then went to knock on Yohji's door. The blonde opened it without a shirt on and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, "Mm, didjya find him, Red?"

Ran blinked at him, "Is Ken not home?"  
  
Yohji raised a dirty gold eyebrow, "Not that I know of. Is your head on right?"

Ran frowned at him for a moment then dug the device out of his pocket and studied it again. Yohji sighed, "Look... go to bed. He'll be back." He patted the red head on the shoulder then gently closed his door again. Ran frowned at the device and went to Ken's room. He searched the entire building and found no Ken, but the device said.....

The roof!! He hurried up the steps. This was his last chance, somehow. His last chance to bring Ken back to his loving arms and gentle kisses. He opened the door and stepped out, glancing around for the brunette. Ken slept in one of the garden chairs. Ran smiled his private smile, usually kept under lock and key until Ken was in front of him. He stepped closer and remembered a dream.... He lifted a hand to caress that perfect cheek, thoughts of tanned skin and beautiful green eyes lost within his gaze. His long fingers grazed over soft skin and those green eyes did open slowly.

Ken looked up at him dazedly, "Ran...." He sighed quietly and closed his eyes again, slipping back into his interrupted dream. Ran smiled again and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

The red head leaned in further to whisper into his ear, "Hidaka Ken, I love you. I want you to... need you to come back to me. Either you remember or you don't, but be mine again. I love you. I need you." He gave a kiss to that caressed cheek then stood upright again and went into the enclosed room to bring out the blanket.

Ken stirred in the chair with a smile, his dream turning much more pleasant. Ran brought the blanket back out and tucked it around the soccer player's body to keep him warm. He brought out the other chair and sat beside him to wait for him to wake up naturally. He watched the brunette sleep more than he watched the stars.

After about 20 minutes, Ken's eyes slid open again and he blinked at the red head who sat so close. He sat up and shifted in the chair with a groan, "Sorry... musta fell asleep. Did you need something?"  
  
Ran nearly snickered. Of course he needed something. He needed Ken. But he shook his head, "No. You looked cold..." He motioned to the blanket and Ken looked down at it.

He looked back up at his companion and smiled, "Thanks. It is kinda cool out here, isn't it?"

Ran nodded and folded his arms across his chest again, "Ken... do you want to know more?"

Ken blinked and couldn't understand for a moment, but then nodded, "Yeah. Tell me everything. You're the only one who's really tried to."

Ran smiled that smile for him that would usually melt Ken's heart, but the boy made no indication that he remembered it. Ran blinked then sighed, "Then you have to believe every word I say, Ken. No matter how out-landish it may seem to you, how strange." He watched his boyfriend nod, then told him. He told him everything from Ken's past to J-League and Kase to Kritiker and the missions and Aya-chan. He told him about how Ken's mother had died when Ken was still a child and how his father had sent him to a church for free therapy; how Ken had grown up a devout catholic because of it; how he'd been betrayed by his best friend and had nearly died in that fire. He traced a scar down Ken's arm and told him of the fire that destroyed the boy's life, told him how Kritiker saved him and contracted his days for the rest of his life. He told of the missions and their past together with the team, of Takatori's life and death, along with Ouka and Omi's brothers. He told him of Yuriko and of how Ken had almost left for Australia with her. He told the story of the fall of Este and their old enemies.

At one point Ken leapt out of his chair. Ran thought he'd remembered something, but the boy just glared, "Schuldich!! That absolute bastard! He told me we were friends!"  
  
Ran frowned, "Excuse me?"

Ken looked back down to him, anger burning in his eyes, "I met him on the streets tonight before all this, Ran, and he told me we were lovers and to keep it from you."

Ran's expression hardened dangerously, "Did he touch you?"

Ken blinked and his anger seeped out of his frame to be replaced by shame, "Yeah.... He kissed me.... Nearly had me...."

Ran stood up, fingers curling into fists, "I'll kill him. You're with me, Ken. Not with him."

Ken blinked, shame replaced by confusion, "Say what again?"

Ran focused on him again, "Hm? Oh... you and I were together, Ken. We loved each other and planned on staying together. I hadn't gotten to that story, yet. I still love you, Ken. I don't want you to leave me."

His voice was so gentle, so caressably soft that Ken had to watch him and make sure the man was actually speaking instead of someone else. His jaw dropped slightly, "You... but how do I know... I mean, it's not that I don't trust you...." He looked down and fidgeted.

Ran sighed and shook his head, "You just have to trust me Ken. Would you believe someone who has sat by your bed while you slept in that hospital or a man you met on the street for one night?"

Ken shook his head and looked back up at him, "You, of course. M'sorry. M'just so damn confused." He turned and took a few steps away to clear his mind.

Ran sighed and slid his fingers through his sunset hair before following. He put his free hand on Ken's shoulder and turned the boy to look at him. He stared down into the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen and once again confessed, "I love you, Ken. I'll stand by you no matter what happens. I don't expect you to be with me tonight, but my door is always open for you. You've slept in my room so many times it's as if you've half moved in." He lifted his other hand to cup the boy's cheek, his thumb rubbing over that perfect cheek bone, "You can do anything you want Ken, just please don't push me out of your life."

Ken blinked up at him as he felt tears stinging his eyes. That had to be the most beautiful speech he'd heard in his life. His lips curled up into a smile, "Ok, Ran. I want you with me. I need a friend... no, someone closer... someone to stay with me. It hurts not being able to remember you, though. We must have been so close."

Ran smiled back and nodded, "Yes, of course. We used to talk up on this roof all night long. I'm not really a man of many words, but you always seem to bring them out of me. Even now." He let his hands slip from the other.

Ken caught one of those hands in both of his own, "Ran... will you kiss me? Maybe...."

Ran studied him for a moment then nodded, "Anything you'd like, Ken." He leaned in and gave the boy a chaste kiss on his lips. Ken kissed him back lightly then blinked at him as the man drew back again. Ran raised a questioning eyebrow and Ken shook his head.

"It was nice, but I don't remember anything else."

Ran blinked as a mischievous smile played on Ken's lips. He recognized that smile and he leaned in to kiss him again, this time parting their lips and kissing him deeper. Ken's hands slid up his arms to go around his neck and keep him close. Their eyes closed as they shared a long and deep kiss, loving each other for the moment so completely that they twisted and turned into each other, merging into one for a magical moment or two. The magic caught them up and they both believed everything would be better from now on. No hardships would ever touch them again.

When the kiss ended, Ran raised his eyebrow at the other again. Ken smiled brightly and for another moment everything was right. But Ken shook his head, "That was wonderful. I still don't remember... but I still want to kiss you forever..."

Ran faltered for a moment of disappointment, but then smiled just as brightly, "Anything you'd like, Ken."

The next few years will be hard on them all, but they'd pull through and their love will keep them strong. Ken might never remember everything, but at least he'd have new wonderful memories to keep him warm as he slept beside his lover and love of his life. From now on. Forever.


End file.
